Mississippi University for Women’s Athletics had 30 of its fall sports student-athlete earn United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) All-Academic Team honors during the recently-completed fall championships last weekend. That brought to 34 – including men’s and women’s golf (which completed its championships in October) – the total number of Owls earning academic accolades from the USCAA for the fall season.
To earn the USCAA All-Academic award, student-athletes must have completed 24 credits prior to their season (i.e.- sophomore-seniors) and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or better.
“I am very proud of all of our fall sports student-athletes,” The W Director of Athletics Jennifer Claybrook said. “And I salute our coaches and staff for instilling that academics are of the highest priority in the NCAA Division III philosophy, with a balance that includes athletics and outside activities, as well.
“These academic achievements are even more significant when you realize that equates to 37 percent of our fall-sport athletes carrying a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or better. As a director of athletics, nothing makes me happier than that type of dedication to excellence in the classroom.”
Those honored this past weekend at the USCAA Championships included members of the Owls’ men’s and women’s soccer teams, men’s and women’s cross country, and volleyball. The list of honorees included:
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY (1): Jacob Vickers.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY (2): Lillian Ergle; Aziyah Mcghee.
MEN’S SOCCER (3): Jacob Vickers; Pedro Santana; Tres Ray.
Mississippi University for Women has announced Dr. David Brooking as the executive director of enrollment management.
Brooking
“With his experience in higher education, particularly at The W, we are fortunate to have Dr. David Brooking lead our strategic enrollment initiatives,” said University President Nora Miller.
As executive director of enrollment management, Brooking will head the university’s Enrollment Management Council, serve on the President’s Cabinet and lead the Office of Admissions and the Office of Financial Aid. He will work with university leadership and deans to increase awareness of university opportunities to prospective students. Brooking will oversee the university’s Strategic Enrollment Plan.
“It’s an honor to be selected as The W’s executive director of enrollment management. I’m excited to partner with our faculty, staff, students and alumni as we work to recruit more students to our wonderful university,” said Brooking.
Since 2014, He has served as the director of the Student Success Center at the university. Brooking was additionally named Title III project director in 2018. Since arriving at The W, he has developed and monitored the progress of the university’s retention plan, collaborated with other enrollment management directors and directed all Student Success Center activities including freshman advising, new student orientation, disability services and peer mentoring.
Before arriving to The W, Brooking served as Title III director at Enterprise State Community College in Alabama for almost five years and had 13 years of higher education experience at both the university and community college level.
Brooking earned a doctor of education in higher education administration from The University of Alabama and master of education in college student personnel from The University of Southern Mississippi. He received an undergraduate degree in political science from Auburn University Montgomery.
PraxisExam.org recently ranked Mississippi University for Women No. 4 on its list of Colleges with the Best Praxis Elementary Education Pass Rates in the state.
The Praxis is a set of tests created for aspiring teachers. The tests are required in more than 40 states to meet licensing and certification requirements.
“The School of Education is very proud of this recognition–so much hard work by the faculty and staff to make sure we do everything in our means to help our students succeed,” said Dr. Martin Hatton, dean of The W’s School of Education.
Although the state of Mississippi boasts an 88% Praxis pass rate on the first attempt, The W is one of a few with a higher first attempt pass rate percentage (90).
PraxisExam.org provides expert Praxis preparation tools and clear and helpful information for those entering the teaching profession. The rankings only include accredited, non-profit institutions, and feature program-specific data alongside reporting from the U.S. Department of Education. Each ranked list is unique and includes reviews of: admission rate; graduation rates; transfer, AP and dual enrollment credit programs; student support and resources; student-faculty ratio; cost of tuition; financial aid availability; alternative tuition plans; loan default rates; and student retention rates. Pass rate information is based on data published by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
For more information about the rankings, go to: https://praxisexam.org/best-praxis-elementary-education-pass-rate-mississippi/#wo
To learn more about the School of Education at The W, please visit muw.edu/education
The W will celebrate students, faculty, staff at 1st Gen Mixer
Ever since Jones was a freshman at Senatobia High School, she knew she needed to continue her educational journey if she wanted to ensure a better life for herself.
Another motivating factor made Jones’ more special: She is the first in her family to attend college.
“To be a first-generation student means a lot,” said Jones, a senior who is majoring in family science and minoring in child advocacy studies at Mississippi University for Women. “It means showing my younger siblings that it is possible to go to college and graduate.”
Jones and other first-generation students, faculty and staff at The W are invited to be a part of the 1st Gen Mixer celebration from 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, in The W Room. The event is part of the National First Generation College Student Day, which started in 2017 and commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Mea Ashley, the director of Student Life at The W, said it is important to honor first-generation students to keep them encouraged and to ensure they know all of the resources at their disposal to help them succeed. Awards will be given to students with grade-point averages of 3.0 or above. There also will be testimonials from students and staff members as well as refreshments.
“I wanted to be sure we acknowledged our W students in a way they would appreciate,” Ashley said. “Although we planned a mixer this year, hopefully, the celebration will grow over the years.”
The mixer also will give students an opportunity to network. For Jones, the event will be an excellent chance to meet people just like her who chose The W because it allows students to develop close-knit relationships with professors. Jones hopes the relationships she builds at The W will help her start a career in student affairs as she continues work on a master’s degree in Higher Education.
“College was not as I expected it to be,” Jones said. “I have faced some challenges I didn’t know I would have to endure during college, but it has been fun and full of memories.”
Jones said she knew as a freshman in high school that she didn’t want to struggle and that going to college has honed her work ethic and built her confidence to know she can live a comfortable life and that she will be able to satisfy her desire to travel when she is an adult.
Jones also can take pride in the fact she is setting an example other first-generation students can follow.
“Going to college means making my family proud and showing the next first-generational students that college can be an attainable goal if they manage their time and they are dedicated,” Jones said.
Samuel Garrie
Samuel Garrie is another first-generation student setting an example for others to follow. The native of Florence, Alabama, is majoring in history and minoring in French. He said his goal is to attend graduate school to obtain his master’s degree and then get his doctorate so he can become a professor.
“Being a first-generation student is hard,” Garrie said. “It feels like a lot of weight is on your shoulders because you are that example for anyone in your family following you. They look to you for that guidance in the future if they choose to attend college. I am the youngest of four boys, so I didn’t really have that college example because they all joined the workforce. However, I am paving the way one step at a time and keeping my head up.”
Garrie said the COVID pandemic changed how he expected college to look. He said he has learned a lot about himself through the last two years and that he has stayed focused by studying and networking. Garrie feels being able to “expect the unexpected” will help him as he continues with his studies.
“I have received praising feedback from my family on my achievements so far, and I am proud of myself, too,” Garrie said. “I have met many people and formed great connections. I joined Student Government Association as a senator during my freshmen year, and now I am vice president of it. I am also involved in other organizations on campus that have shaped me into the leader I am today.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nov. 8 , 2022 Contact: Adam Minichino acminichino@muw.edu (662) 329-1976
A variety of music ensembles will fill the Connie Sills Kossen Auditorium in Poindexter Hall at Mississippi University for Women Tuesday, Nov. 8 and Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
On Nov. 8, The W’s Jazz Ensemble will present its fall performance filled with jazz and rock classics, such as “Watermelon Man, Brazil and Chameleon.” The group will highlight vocalists with “It Don’t Mean a Thing If it Ain’t Got That Swing” while instrumentalists shine on Van Morrison’s “Moondance” and “You’re Still a Young Man.” Additionally, The Jazz Ensemble kicks off the holiday season with “Frosty the Snowman” and “Celebrate Me Home” by Kenny Loggins.
“This performance is not going to be your typical concert. There will be some surprises and interactions with audience throughout. Who knows, you might be singing and clapping along with us by the end of the show. After two years of restrictions, this concert will be a celebration of all of us coming together and having a good time through music,” said Ginger Zingara, director of bands at The W.
The W Wind Ensemble will present its fall performance Nov. 15.
The program opens with “Kvetchers (Surprises in Controversial Times),” a concert march filled with instrumental ‘complaints’ and ‘surprises’ throughout. The band will continue with “With Each Sunset (Comes the Promise of a New Day),” a somber, yet hopeful, piece with expressive colors. The W Choir will join with percussionists in the lively classic, “African Noel.” The band follows with the jazzy, “The Pink Panther.” For the finale, The Columbus Choral Society, the Caledonia High School Choir and The W Choir will join the wind ensemble on “Selections from Les Miserables,” from the Broadway and motion picture classic.
Zingara said, “This performance will have something appealing for everyone. This repertoire swings from musical jokes to darkness to celebration. I’m especially excited to work with The W Choir; Dr. William Reber, director, and the Columbus Choral Society; and the Caledonia High School choir led by Jayne Doolittle. These choral leaders train their vocalists very well and they will give our finale a great lift, and after two years of restrictions, it will be joyful to be able to combine our forces.”
All events are free and open to the public and begin at 7:30 p.m.
